Sending $200 through networks using stablecoins costs around $2, compared to $12.72 through traditional channels. This is what emerges from the quarterly report of Borderless.xyz. In addition to reducing fees, these solutions speed up transfers: a few minutes are enough where banking circuits often take several days.
In brief
- A transfer of 200 dollars costs around 1% of its amount with stablecoins, compared to 6.36% through traditional channels.
- In Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, payments typically arrive within two to three minutes via local networks.
- However, reliability varies between countries, with a success rate of 98.6% in Mexico, compared to 73% in Costa Rica.
Significantly reduced transfer fees
Stablecoins are gaining ground in international payments. After Western Union’s initiatives to accelerate stablecoin transfers, the Borderless.xyz report provides concrete figures on possible savings.
For sending $200, the company’s data indicates a median cost of $2 with stablecoin-backed networks. Traditional channels charge $12.72, or 6.36% of the amount sent. The gap thus reaches around 84%.
However, it is necessary to take into account a difference in the periods compared: Borderless.xyz uses the prices for the third quarter of 2026, while the World Bank provides here a reference dating from the same period in 2025. This difference therefore limits the scope of the comparison.
The economies remain particularly attractive in emerging markets. In sub-Saharan Africa, the average cost falls from 8.46% to 2.9%. In Latin America, it fell from 5.64% to 1.25%.
Businesses can also reduce their expenses. To transfer $10,000 to the eurozone, the cheapest provider charges $26, compared to the median $52. A bank can, for its part, claim between 135 and 150 dollars, exchange margin included.
A few minutes instead of several days
Speed is another advantage. In Brazil, transfers via PIX reach their recipient in a median of two minutes. In Mexico, the SPEI network has a delay of three minutes, while the Colombian PSE system is around two minutes.
Conversely, an international bank transfer typically arrives the next business day. For the slowest 10% of transfers, the wait can be up to three business days. For businesses, this difference matters: a delayed payment can tie up part of their cash flow.
However, speed does not always guarantee success. Mexico has a completion rate of 98.6%, followed by Brazil at 97.8%. Colombia drops to 79%, while Costa Rica only reaches 73%. Local payment networks therefore remain instrumental in getting funds to the beneficiary.
Stablecoins still have to convince
Adoption of digital dollars is also growing in consumer wallets. USDC is notably arriving on 82 million Samsung smartphones. For their part, Stripe is developing Tempo, a blockchain dedicated to stablecoin payments.
According to the Borderless.xyz analyticsthe increase in volumes accompanies the development of these infrastructures. However, the results presented only cover part of the international corridors. They do not necessarily take into account all conversion fees or the difficulties faced by people without access to banking services.
There remains a question of timing. If the measured costs hold up over time, the transfer argument could weigh more than that of yield in the adoption of stablecoins. Future reports will tell if the median holds.
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